Wildfire smoke suffocated the last days of August. Our valley an endless, disorienting, gray haze that hid the mountains and the sun. We woke in the mornings with sore throats and headaches. Ash rained from the sky, blanketing tomato leaves and picnic tables with gray layer of burned up tree. We stayed inside a lot, where the air was barely better.
the sun, 6pm
I found the greatest relief in water. The invigorating, cleansing purity. Jumping in electrified my skin with goosebumps, washed the smoke out of my hair and felt like a giant gulp of fresh air. Submerged, I occupied an unpolluted, hopeful suspension.
The day before school started, I felt desperate to be out of the haze, away from homestead duties, having fun with my daughters. We couldn’t escape the smoke so we drove into it, through it to one of our favorite little lakes.
Ruby and Margot were tucked into the back, eating cinnamon rolls the size of their head, Mabel between them.
Ruby: Margot! Smell my feet! I think they smell gross!
Margot: No way sister. Hey, mom do you think the earth is light or heavy?
Ruby: So heavy. Except light, depending. On gravity or something.
The smoke grew thicker, visibility diminishing. We passed a fire crew camp and I thought maybe this was a bad idea. But kept driving thankful for my car’s air filtered air conditioning, thinking – at the very least – we would drive to the lake, jump in and head home.
Turning down the dusty, cracked dirt road toward the lake, Margot was the first to notice the air lighten a bit. Helicopters flew overhead fetching buckets of water from the valley lakes, hauling it into the mountains where the flames thrived.
At the lake, the wind blew just right and we landed in a tiny patch of clean(er) air, letting enough sunlight through to cast shadows. Shadows! We hadn’t seen shadows in over a week.
Oh mama! It’s perfrect!
I smiled at one of Ruby’s very last mispronunciations. Just last week she asked for breakfast and broke my heart. I will forever miss breakfrast. And I hope she forever says Lake Maroony Ann instead of Lake Mary Ronan.
We finished Little Town on the Prairie, had a cartwheel contest (I was a strong contender but decided to give the glory to my kids. ahem. “Mama I think you need to, like, practice more.”), ate melon, swam, found cool stuff like feathers and crawdads, threw rocks and sticks, listened to loons, remembered when I lost my sunglasses in the outhouse and fetched them out, journaled and really had the most fun.
In this new season of motherhood, where both my kids are in school and I have this giant expanse of time, I have some plans for this space and my work. I am happy to report that the change all feels good and right – for all of us – at the moment, which I am so damn thankful for. Thank you for supporting me in the times these last few months when I felt so unsure and sad about the impending change.
The first plan I am excited to announce right this minute is that my daughters and I are embarking on a grand adventure in a little over a month: we are driving from Missoula to Chicago, stopping at several of the Little House sites along the way. These books have profoundly influenced our family and I am thrilled to travel this path with my girls. We will then fly to New York to meet up with Andy for a wedding, followed by a week in the city. Do any of you have ideas or must-see/do things you’d like to share with us? We’d love to know your favorite museums, hikes, food markets (we won’t be eating out much but please tell us restaurants too!), coffee roasters, anything at all! Thank you in advance.
Here is a rough map of our journey there (the route back will look a bit different – open to suggestions – and will involve flying from New York to Chicago and then driving home):
We’ve been dreaming and planning this for a long while now and it isn’t all set in stone just yet (is anything ever?) but I believe saying it out loud is a good step in making it happen. It’ll all be perfrect.
35 Comments
Love this, Nici. You always seem like you’re the best and most spontaneous mom ever. I really wish I knew your secret! (Seriously, consider sharing please?)
We ended up driving to Butte the night before the smoke broke… I just had to breathe. We packed the kids in, and drove slowly down the back country roads on the other side of Homestake just to breathe in the smell of hay and listen to crickets. It was lovely.
I completely agree!
We lived in Madison, Wisconsin before our current home and can recommend a few places! The Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings is outstanding. Great place to refresh your ears for the road. Make sure to try the fresh cheese curds if you go (or as my husband calls it, squeaky cheese). Cargo Coffee is a good choice for coffee. New Glarus and Great Dane are great local brews you can pick up at the grocery store (though the Dane has restaurants too). You can rent paddle boards/kayaks/canoes on the lakes in town, or the UW Student Union is a great place to sit and lake/people watch and there is often live, outdoor music. Sounds like an incredible road trip, enjoy!
Okay, that was supposed to say refresh your eats not your ears! ????
From Lake Pepin, where there’s a great Laura memorial site, please drive down the great river road along the Mississippi and stop in the little towns along the way in Wisconsin. Then drive from Lacrosse to Madison–definitely stay the night in Madison. If you time it with a Saturday morning, you’ll see the largest producer-only farmers market in the country. Great coffee there at bradbury’s, also at the Johnson Street coffee house. So many amazing local spots to buy what you need for a quick lunch or dinner. If you need campsite recs please let me know. I lived in Madison with kids for a few years before moving East and there is so much to check out: the lakes, the children’s museum, the modern art museum, working farms, historic towns. Plus it’s only about two and a half hours north of Chicago, a perfect stop on your way from Minnesota.
I second the Great River Road/small town suggestion!
I’ve missed your regular posts, Nici. They’re like a rush of cool air on a stuffy day.
Don’t you just love mispronunciations? Num-nums = M&M’s. Scabeeto = Misquito bites.
Jamars = Pajamas. So freaking cute!
You’re trip sounds absolutely adventurous. You’re girls are very fortunate to have you as their Mama.
Oh, you’re hitting Burr Oak (Iowa), just 10 miles north of Decorah (my home)! Decorah has three amazing places for coffee – Magpie Coffeehouse, Java Johns, or Impact Coffee! Plus a farmer’s market Saturdays and Wednesdays, one of the best local food co-ops you’ll ever find in a small town, restaurants serving local food, a 12-mile paved trail circling town, and lovely, hilly hikes in parks in town.
All of SE Minnesota, NE Iowa, and SW Wisconsin are beautiful to drive through and have vibrant small towns to stop in.
Intelligentsia Coffee in Chicago. One of my favorites!
Looks like a fun trip! We did the drive from Wisconsin to Big Fork and back a few years ago with the kids and it was such a great family trip! So it looks like you’ll be coming across 90 through Madison then south toward Chicago. In Madison, I would recommend stopping at the (free! and really great!) Henry Vilas Zoo- there’s a new polar bear exhibit that is neat to see. Lots of great restaurants in Madison- near the zoo I’d recommend Zuzu cafe (the girls will love it!), or Pasqual’s or Bluephie’s on Monroe St. The childrens’ museum on the square is great, too. Just a walk through the capitol building is great as well. If you’re in Madison on a Saturday or Wednesday, you should definitely make a trip to the Dane County Farmer’s market (on the capitol square on Saturday, just off the square on Wednesday). And the UW arboretum has amazing trails for hiking if you’re looking for a break from the car. (Unfortunately the UW union terrace is closed for repairs for the next year, but a walk down State Street in Madison is always entertaining.) I hope you have a great trip!
We stayed at the Ingalls Homestead in De Smet earlier this summer. It’s a great site with tons of pioneer activities. They even have covered wagons you can spend the night in. So fun!!
Ingallshomestead.com
I just flew from South Dakota to Great Falls for my friend’s wedding last weekend. She got married at the summer camp where she attended and was a counselor for several years. Despite the smoke, the scenery was gorgeous, and a rain shower passed through on Saturday that made the night perfect for dancing outside.
I can’t tell exactly which route you’re taking through SD, but there are some fun stops on the way to DeSmet–I love Mitzi’s Books and Armadillo Ice Cream in Rapid City, and Wall Drug and Al’s Oasis along I-90 are fun, kitschy spots. If you’re heading up to Hwy 14, Pierre is home to the South Dakota Discovery Center and the Cultural Heritage Center, which might be more appropriate for a Laura Ingalls Wilder buff. Brookings, which is less than an hour east of DeSmet is home to the Children’s Museum of South Dakota (http://prairieplay.org/), which serves ice cream from the SDSU Dairy Bar (their Cookies and Cream is the best).
You must go to the museum of natural history and museum of modern art in nyc. Must.
check out Naomi’s NYC guides on http://www.lovetaza.com
I have 2 girls- 2yo and 5yo. You inspire us for adventures in the near future!
Are you still homeschooling? If not, how does taking a trip like this work?
I am not homeschooling this year. I am working with our principal and teachers, planning to make this educational adventure part of our school’s curriculum. I am not sure how it will work out just yet but I will gladly share my process with you all!
You should eat out often while in New York it’s the only way to do it. It’s important 🙂
Breakfrast is a staple at my house too! You’re right… I will so miss it when it’s gone. 🙂 Lovely pictures. Miss Montana, smoke and all.
You’re coming to my home!!! Is it weird that I secretly want to meet you!? Ok, you MUST go to Chinatown. There are a lot of little places you can go and get a bunch of Chinese samplings pretty inexpensively. Definitely Google to see what interests you most. Also, little Italy is close by so you can kill two birds with one stone. Walk across the Brooklyn bridge. It’s a beautiful walk and iconic. Brooklyn bridge park is also great with a carousel, food, and hands on art. Central Park! So much to see there; from amazing playgrounds in the south to random musicians playing music and artists.
Double decker tour busses can be pricey and full of tourists but are a great way to see a lot of Manhattan. Walk, walk and walk some more. The west village is an eyeful. The Bronx zoo if you can get up there one day. As a local I do not recommend time square. I understand the pull so if you must, go see it and then promptly get out of there. But close by is Bryant Park where they have free reading corners, a carousel and free games, plus a big open space. It’s great for a break.
Get pizza at Grimaldi’s, Patsy’s, John’s, Lombardi’s, Roberta’s or Nick’s. They all say they’re the best but I think were ALL partners at one point or another.
Have a blast and be prepared to be exhausted!
I LOVE your home! 🙂 I haven’t been for 11 years…last time Andy and I were there her proposed to me! I’d love to run into you as well. Thanks for all the great suggestions.
Yay for coming to NYC!! If you walk across the BK Bridge, head down into my nabe of Dumbo–lots of open galleries and free public art (great exhibit called Please Touch the Art in Brooklyn Bridge park that has an awesome fountain kids love)…and a beautiful hand-painted carousel called Jane’s Carousel. We like Le Columbe coffee, which has spots all over the city. Van Leeuwen ice cream is my favorite and has a few locations and great coffee. Morgenstern’s ice cream is also rad with flavor a like Salt and Pepper Pine Nut! I’ll keep thinking about other spots you might love. There are also locations of Smorgasburg through the city with local food vemdors–hundreds of them! Enjoy!!
Try to take them to a broadway play! I know they’re expensive but they absolutely will love it. We used to be able to get half price tickets for Wednesday afternoon shows…not sure if they do that anymore..
Yes!
Come to the NW side of Chicago, Portage Park, Jeff Park — we have Airbnb space. The National Veterans Art Museum, Filament Theatre is running Fog Island right now for kids. Great coffee shops and restaurants. Take the train downtown. Children’s Museum, Arboretum with the Butterfly sanctuary, Lincoln Park Zoo, Planetarium, the beach. So many places!
Looks like you have a great trip planned! You’ll be near my stomping grounds, La Crosse, Wisconsin! I’m not sure of your exact route but I recommend the following stops:
1. Nelson Cheese Factory in Nelson, Wisconsin (about 10 minutes south of Pepin on the river road). The ice cream in fabulous! They have sandwiches and other eats too.
2. There is a scenic overlook in Alma, Wisconsin that is really beautiful. Not too far off the main drag so it’s totally worth the stop.
3. If you’re driving through La Crosse you have to stop at Riverside Park and Grandad Bluff, not to be missed.
4. If you’re driving down the west side of the Mississippi River you may go through Dubuque, Iowa. I’ve heard the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in amazing (haven’t been myself).
5. If you cross the river at Dubuque and head to Wisconsin make sure to take a few minutes to climb the world’s largest ‘M’ in Platteville, Wisconsin. It stands for the mining school that was once part of the university there.
6. I’m not sure exactly where you’re crossing from Wisconsin to Madison but there is a little cheese store/restaurant/bar on the town square in Monroe, Wisconsin called Baumgartner’s that is awesome! It’s totally family friendly. The front part is a cheese store, the back is the tavern/restaurant. Cheese sandwiches and a cup of chili, you can’t go wrong!
OK, I feel like I have over-suggested here 🙂 Have a great trip, how fun!!!
Our family visited De Smet last summer and had an absolutely wonderful time. Plan on a full day at the Ingalls Homestead and stay overnight in a covered wagon. Although we were afraid that the covered wagon stay would be cheesy touristy, it was worth it! You can visit the Surveyor’s House (the real Surveyor’s House!!) in town.
On your way across South Dakota, stop at Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park. It is a lesser-publicized gem and a beautiful place for a swim.
If you are up for a little detour, swing up to Detroit to the Main Branch of the Detroit Public Library. The library has some of Laura’s manuscripts in its special collection. A docent can bring them out for you to view. (Disclaimer… seeing the words you know and love in Laura’s handwriting, penciled in notebooks, might bring you to tears.) We would be happy to provide a plethora of Detroit things to see/do if you are interested.
THE only suggestion I have is to spend at least two weeks with us! You are an amazing young woman…one who I am proud to call MY daughter! xoxo
Why stop in NYC when you can continue up to Vermont?? If you want to come visit paradise, we’ve got a big house, rooms for the girls and for you and Andy, and endless land to roam, ponds to swim in, you know the deal. You just let me know and I’ll travel on home to see you.
Otherwise…I remember that I used to speak with a heavy boston accent when I was wee- but only on certain words. I thought it was “mirra” instead of “mirror” and when my sister corrected me, I remember my mom was so mad at her because she loved my tough little kid boston accent.
I love the detail about seeing shadows. So observant and so true, having lived under smoldering skies outside myself a few years ago.
Love seeing Mabel so happy in her life!
Much love & See you soon,
Melina
The High Line and Central Park definitely. Brooklyn Bridge Park is nice and has great views. Smorgasburg is a wonderful outdoor flea food market in Brooklyn – http://www.smorgasburg.com
Enjoy my hometown!!
Shirley
You should ask ‘mommasgonecity’ for tips about NYC!
have a wonderful trip.
Isabelle
Hope you’ll have a chance to tell us how you cook crispy tofu.
I haven’t forgotten! Thank you for the prompt. I will share on ig today! 🙂
I love Little Goat Diner in Chicago and I agree with everyone recommending the Madison farmers market. I lived above The House of Cheese when I was in grad school in Madison, and I would roll out of bed on Saturday morning and eat my way around the market. Can’t beat that Midwestern farmers’ bounty! Have fun!
Sanaa’s in Sioux Falls: http://sanaacooks.com/restaurant/
Amazing, delicious food – seems right up your alley 🙂
Enjoy your trip!
Ha! I once dropped my entire purse into the port-a-john and had no choice but to fish it out since it contained EVERYTHING on me including the car keys! I was lucky that one handle had stayed up and I was able to grab it and not touch anything else. The damn thing looked like the Titanic going down.
I’ve lived in the east and I now live in the west…the west is SO MUCH BETTER!!! People on the east coast have no idea of the size and the breathtaking beauty out here…I live in Oregon now, and I never have to go back east…